Answer
Short Answer: The required elements of modesty for a woman’s clothing in public is to be in a loose garment that covers her body, and to wear a head covering the descends on her chest and covers her bosom. This is the minimum requirement: Loose dress that covers all the body and a head covering that descends over the chest. Based on that, there are so many ways and forms and styles to achieve the above. There are different types and styles of loose dresses and there are different ways of styling a veil that covers the head and descends to cover the chest properly. So this is why you may see women in different societies and countries wearing different types/colors/styles of veil. Differences go back to the culture, socio-economic condition sometimes, among other reasons.
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Salam (Peace) Dear Questioner,
Thank you so much for your interest in knowing more about Islam and for the respectful way in which you ask your question.
Why do Muslim women wear Veil
To start with, we need to understand why Muslim women wear veil.
Let us think about a few examples. When you want to stay physically healthy, who is the best one to give you advice on maintaining your health? It is your doctor, right? He is the most knowing in this area and you follow his advice.
If you want to succeed in your education and your course work in college, who is the best to give you advice on that? Your Professor would be the most knowledgeable in giving advice on how to excel academically.
So, we usually go to the most knowledgeable source to know how to conduct ourselves and achieve success.
Now, The Creator Allah Almighty is the Absolute and Ultimate Source who is Most Knowing of what is best for His creation in this life and the next. He created them, He created their hearts, minds and souls and He knows what is best for their hearts, minds and souls.
“Does He who created not know, while He is the Subtle, the Acquainted?” (Quran 67: 14)
The Quran on Head Covering
So, we take instructions from The Most Knowing to know how to best live our lives in the most pure way.
In His Direct Speech in the Quran, the Creator Allah Almighty says:
“And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their head-covers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women.
And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.” (Quran 24: 31)
Modesty
So, the required elements of modesty for a woman’s clothing in public is to be in a loose garment that covers her body, and to wear a head covering the descends on her chest and covers her bosom. This is the minimum requirement: Loose dress that covers all the body and a head covering that descends over the chest.
Based on that, there are so many ways and forms and styles to achieve the above. There are different types and styles of loose dresses and there are different ways of styling a veil that covers the head and descends to cover the chest properly.
So this is why you may see women in different societies and countries wearing different types/colors/styles of veil. Differences go back to the culture, socio-economic condition sometimes, among other reasons.
The Face Veil
Also, there are women who love the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) and his wives and wish to follow exactly what they used to do, so you will see women committing to wearing face veil and/or black on black clothing for their hijab.
All are acceptable, as long as the minimum requirements are met and the purpose of modesty is achieved.
On this note, it is essential to remember that Allah Almighty is beyond time and space and so His commands and requirements are also timeless and could be applied whenever and wherever one may be.
His timeless instructions are for the benefit of people spiritually, emotionally, physically and socially. Women are not to be objectified, abused, manipulated or looked at as an object of desire or as a body that men freely access or look at disrespectfully, rather, she is a dignified human being with mind, soul and heart and she is a viable contributor to the society in this manner.
Hijab helps the woman elevate above the physical and accentuate her soul, her character and her faith. Then her beauty is to be showcased in the right time and place and for a noble and sacred purpose, rather than being freely available for anyone’s less-than-dignifying gaze.
Allah knows best.
I hope this helps.
Salam and please keep in touch.
(From Ask About Islam archives)
Please continue feeding your curiosity, and find more info in the following links:
Do I Have to Wear Hijab to Be a Good Muslim?
Is Face Veil (Niqab) Compulsory?
Why Are Women Ordered to Wear Hijab While Men Aren’t?
If Allah Only Looks at Our Hearts Then Why Hijab?